


The Other Salvatore

by Starluvana



Category: The Originals (TV), The Vampire Diaries (TV)
Genre: Aggression, Canon-Typical Violence, F/M, Original Character(s), Original Character-centric, Possibly Unrequited Love, Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-12
Updated: 2018-12-16
Packaged: 2019-09-16 15:48:56
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,262
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16956897
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Starluvana/pseuds/Starluvana
Summary: Christine Salvatore was only 12 when her brothers and father died. She had lost her mother when she was just a young girl of 5. The night she lost everything and everyone she card about, vampires were hunted and forced into a church.  Christine hid as her father and his friends captured so many people that she had known and set the church on fire.  Her father called them many terrible names, but mostly he called them monsters. She had only known one vampire to be a monster and that was Katherine Pierce. Everyone in town knew her as a sweet orphan from Atlanta. Until Christine found out what Katherine truly was.  Katherine wasn't just a vampire,  she was a true monster.





	1. Chapter 1

Christine Salvatore enjoyed growing up in her hometown with two older brothers.   She would torment her brothers, just as any young girl would do. They would often take the blame for mischief she had caused. Yet, no matter how much trouble she would cause, they loved each other and were very close.  “Sunshine", her brother Damon had called her since the moment she was born.  Curly blonde locks of hair and cheerfulness had reminded him of the sun. She was closer to him despite the large age gap between them.

 

When he left for the war, Christine had cried herself to sleep at night for weeks. Fearing the worst would happen, she made sure to write him a letter every day telling him how much she missed him and couldn't wait for him to come home.

 

Her world changed the moment Katherine Pierce showed up at their home. Emily, Katherine's hand maid, had been sweet to Christine since their arrival. At times, she would play silly games or braid her hair.  Christine adored Emily and could often be seen by her side as they strolled through the town. Katherine, on the other hand, rarely showed attention to her and usually ignored her. This bothered Christine. She had always wanted a sister. Watching the way Katherine flirted with her brothers, she assumed that the beautiful girl from Atlanta would join her family in no time.  

 

At first, she would go out of her way to compliment Katherine in hopes that they would one day become friends.  Katherine made it clear she wanted nothing to do with the girl. It didn’t take long for Christine to give up hopes on befriending Katherine.   A few weeks after the arrival of her new guests, Christine began noticing a few odd things. Her father, Giuseppe, had changed.  He was more coarse than usual and went to late night meetings with people he didn’t even consider friends.

 

Christine followed him one night and overheard them talking about monsters living among them.  Calling them blood suckers and other names that implied they were referring to vampires without ever saying the word. Her brothers were there too. Christine didn’t even know that had left the house. She was curious at how much they knew about the vampires living in town and why they left her out. She was a little hurt since she thought Damon told her everything.  

 

The members of the secret meeting had never thought a young girl would be eavesdropping so late at night. She snuck out just as easily as she snuck in without anyone noticing her.  She became scared and suspicious of everyone around her.  She was careful not to say anything to anyone. This included her brothers, given that they had not yet told her what they knew.  

 

The next morning, Christine walked with Emily to the town apothecary for some herbs. Annabelle Zhu, a girl who appeared to be just a little older than Christine, was assisting her mother, Pearl. The girls had become fast friends after Emily introduce them.  The moment Christine entered the shop, she was greeted by a hug from Annabelle. “Will you go for a walk with me?” Christine had been hoping that she could share her new secret with the girl.  Annabelle gladly joined her.

 

“Have you noticed anything strange going on in town?” Christine asked as they stepped away from the shop door.  Annabelle shook her head, “Nothing that I recall. Except maybe Mr. Gilbert walking past our shop every day just to see my mother.  I find _him_ rather strange.”  Christine giggled at her friend, “He is strange,  but that wasn't what I was referring to.” She stopped walking and grabbed Annabelle's hand.  “Oh Annabelle, I just don't know what to think. I overheard my father talking about monsters.  I'm so scared.”  Annabelle stayed silent for a moment to carefully choose her words,  “What kind of monsters?” Christine leaned in to whisper, “Vampires.”  Annabelle didn't look shocked which confused Christine.

  
Christine questioned her,  “Did you know about this too?” She hated being the last to know anything.  No one ever told her anything important because she was “too young". Annabelle sighed and nodded, “Not all vampires are monsters, Christine.” Her eyes became large, “Do you know who the vampires are?  Will they hurt us?” Annabelle bit her lip as if she were trying to hold in a secret, “I don't know anything.”

 

“I don't believe you.  If you aren't going to tell me then I will find out for myself.” Christine was determined to find out the truth.  Annabelle knew that if Christine asked anyone else, it could bring unwanted attention to her and her mother. Cautiously,  Annabelle asked, “If I tell you, can you promise not to tell a single soul?” Christine's eyes sparkled when she smiled.  Finally someone would tell her the truth. “Of course, I would never." Annabelle looked around to see who was around.  She quickly grabbed Christine's hand and took her into the woods. When she was sure no one could see them, she opened her mouth enough to allow Christine to see her fangs.  

 

Terror washed over Christine's face and she jumped back, “You are a vampire?”  Annabelle quickly closed her mouth, “Yes and my mother. I told you that not all vampires are monsters.  I am not a monster, Christine.”  Staring in shock, Christine was unable to say a word.   She tried to comprehend the reality of one of her only friends being a vampire.  Her father had said they were monsters. Yet, she knew and adored Annabelle and believed she wasn't a monster.  Finally, Christine spoke, “Do I know anyone else?” Annabelle nodded slowly unsure if she should even speak her name, “She lives with you.”

 

\----

 

It had been only a few hours since Annabelle had revealed to Christine the truth about the vampires living in town. She convinced herself that if they were all like Annabelle, she had nothing to fear.  She kept quiet for the rest of the evening observing everyone around her. No one seemed to know that Katherine was a vampire. Even her father, who seemed to hate vampires to his very core, was clueless.  She continued to watch Katherine for several days trying to decide if her family was endanger. Not finding anything that would even hinted that she was a vampire, Christine decided that maybe Annabelle was wrong.

  
  


When Christine caught Katherine feeding on her brother, she had told her to forget what she saw, but Christine never forgot.  Her brothers did and they kept going back to Katherine for more. Christine came to despise Katherine for her wickedness. Her brothers had somehow forgotten everything each time Christine had caught Katherine, only remembering that they were madly in love with Katherine.  Emily warned her that Katherine thought she had compelled her memories away and Christine must pretend not to know what Katherine is or has done. She explained that her brothers had been compelled by Katherine to forget everything.  It was clear that Emily did not fear or particularly like Katherine and her kind.

 

As a young girl, Christine never knew why the vampire couldn't compel her. Emily assured her that pretending she knew nothing would keep her safe.  She also warned her that she needed to keep her mouth shut if she wanted to save her brothers.  For a while, Christine watched and observed everything and everyone around her.  Many times she would overhear her father speak to his friends about monsters living among them. Christine was careful not to confide in Emily when she discovered that the town's men were going to take care of the “vampire infestation." She wasn't sure if she could completely trust Emily since she was Katherine's handmaid.

 

The night of the vampire roundup, Christine found her brothers lying in the middle of the road.  She screamed in terror and passed out next to them. Emily found her moments later and brought her home.  The next day, she found her father's mangled body. He had been murdered by what appeared to be a vampire. A chunk had been taken out of his neck and his body had been mostly drained of blood. She stared at him emotionless. She wasn't sad that he was dead, he treated her and her brothers poorly and they were all terrified of him.  She would miss her brothers though. Tears formed in her eyes as she realized she would never see her brother's again.

 

“This is that devil woman Katherine's fault!”, she screamed at the top of her lungs.  She was startled by a noise upstairs. Whispers and shuffling could be heard in her bedroom.  She didn't even realize anyone was even here. Upstairs, Emily had packed Christine’s clothes and  had begun loading them into a carriage that was waiting outside. Emily pulled Christine away from her father and helped her change out of her dirty clothes. “We need to leave this place. There is nothing left for you here, my poor child”  Emily said as she tugged a dress over Christine’s head. Christine wiped her tear stained cheek and sniffled. Her voice was weak, “Where shall I go?  This place is my home.”

  
  


Emily stopped and grabbed Christine’s shoulder tightly, “ I am only going to tell you this one time, child.  This place is dangerous. Live your life far away from here. Don’t look back and be happy. It is time for you to learn how to take care of yourself. Don’t cry anymore, child."  Emily finished lacing up her dress, “It’s time to go. I will stay behind and clean up this mess.”  Christine glanced back at her home one last time with a heavy sigh before climbing into the carriage.  Her friend Annabelle had been waiting for her. She hugged Christine, “My dearest Christine, I was so sorry to hear about your family.  My mother - is also gone. They took her away.”

 

“I’m sorry, Sunshine”, Damon was lurking around the corner and watched the carriage slowly disappear from sight. He felt so much guilt for sending his sister away.  He hated when he had to leave her to go to war and kept every tear stained letter she had sent him each week. Now, he had to send her away for good. He decided he would let Stefan think the girl had died in order to keep her safe from both of them.  Emily had other reasons to keep the girl safe, of course.  If she had just been a normal child, perhaps Emily wouldn’t have bothered with her.  She wouldn’t have gone through such lengths to ensure her safety. She would keep the secret of Christine's location and abilities to herself.  


	2. Chapter 2

Christine and Annabelle ducked into an empty table behind a crowd of people. It was Christine’s 18th birthday.  They had to sneak out of the cottage while their guardian was sleeping in order to celebrate. They giggled to themselves as the server brought them two glasses of wine. Christine raised her glass, “You know that if we get caught for sneaking out, they will kill us right?”  Annabelle grinned slyly and then took a sip, “Let them try. I’m not afraid of a few witches.” The girls clinked their glasses and giggled some more. People around them were dancing to the music and laughing. Everyone was having a good time.   The girls couldn't remember a moment when they did not have a chaperone. Perhaps it had been before the night of the vampire roundup.  Agnes and her brother Reuben had been on the run from their coven. Reuben was rarely with present however. He told the girls that he was looking for a way to free Annabelle's mother from the tomb. But Christine never quite believed that was the truth.

  
  


Before they could finish their drinks, Annabelle shifted and tensed. Christine watched her sudden change in posture, “Annabelle, what’s happening?”  Annabelle gritted her teeth, “blood.” Christine knew that Annabelle was still working on controlling her blood-lust, but it had been a while since she had fed. She grabbed her arm and scooted her out of her chair.  “Let’s go. We need to get away from here.” Annabelle followed her lead and kept her head down. The veins in her eyes would be visible to anyone that came too close even in the dimly lit tavern. Annabelle stopped just outside of the tavern doors and looked around, “Someone else is here.”  Christine crossed her arms on her chest, “I'm sure you are just being paranoid.” Annabelle wooshed to the corner of the building at vampire speed and peaked around.  Christine walked quietly behind her trying not to make a sound. She was right, someone else was there.  Not just someone else - Damon. Or someone that closely resembled her eldest brother. Christine froze and watched the man rip into the neck of some poor woman.   If the man was truly her brother, he didn’t age a single day. She couldn’t believe he could still be alive and clearly a vampire. Everything around her seemed to fade away except for him. The music from inside was still loud and echoing through the night. She continued to watch until  Annabelle touched Christine’s arm to get her attention and mouthed the words, “go now” to Christine before they could be noticed. Christine’s heart was heavy and tears formed in her eyes as she ran as fast as her legs could carry her.  Annabelle grabbed her hand and pulled her to run faster towards the cottage.

  
  


Their small home was only a mile away from the tavern.  Large trees hid the cottage well. One would assume that land was abandoned unless they knew to walk through the unkempt shrubbery that covered the walkway. The girls didn't stop running until they reached the cottage.  Christine’s heart continued to pound as they stopped in front of their home. She looked at Annabelle panting, “He is actually here and alive. My brother. I can’t believe it.” Annabelle wrapped her arms around her shaken friend, “Chrissy, I don't think that he was your brother. Your brother died.” Christine pushed her away, “How can you say that? He is a vampire. You saw him.” 

 

The door swung open and made a loud thud against the wall startling the girls.  Standing in the doorway was the older silver haired woman who had taken them in several years ago. “Girls! Where have you been? Why are you making such a fuss outside.  Come in this instant.” The grumpy woman had barely moved aside to allow them to pass. The door slammed behind them. Christine knew they were going to be lectured. Yet, she still almost didn't care.  Her brother was alive. She decided not bother to mention that fact for fear that they would have to run again.   They had ran every time Agnes and her brother decided they were no longer safe from whatever they were running from.  Christine knew they weren’t just trying to keep her safe. “Agnes, we are sorry for disobeying you. We just wanted to have fun. It  _ is _ my birthday, of course. We are always stuck inside this tiny cottage”,  Christine pouted to the woman.

 

Annabelle knew it didn’t matter if only she had left. In fact, Annabelle had left for several months at a time trying to seek out some guidance on how to get her mother out of the tomb.  Christine was the one they wanted to keep safe. Agnes’ voice became more stern, as if that were possible, “You could have been hurt or worse. This cannot happen again. You are lucky Reuben isn’t here. He will not tolerate this type of disobedience. We may have to leave again if anyone had followed you home.” Agnes’s eyes didn’t leave Christine as she scolded.  Annabelle thought to herself that if her friend had been a vampire too, they wouldn’t worry have to worry about the witches. Those old witches, Agnes and her brother Reuben, could shove off. However,  _ those witches _ were helping to find a way to get her mother out of the tomb. She frowned, she missed her mother dearly. Pearl, her mother, kept her close as the witches do with Christine. Her mother’s over-protectiveness used to annoy her. Now, she would give anything to have it back.  Her thoughts were interrupted by what was now becoming a heated debate.

 

“I am _not_ a child.  I don’t need your protection. Annabelle and I were doing perfectly fine. Maybe I should leave it up to her to _protect_ me from now on instead of feeling like a prisoner. You forget that you are the one running, not us.”  Christine’s face and ears had become red. Agnes paused before responding. She knew that Christine wasn’t the same frightened child she took in years ago. She had made her feel like a prisoner which was never her intention. Agnes had grown to adore the cheeky girl but she also knew her duty to her family.  Her duty was to keep her safe. Emily knew that too when she sent the child to her.  She sighed and softly stroked Christine’s hands, “You are not a prisoner, my dear child.  You just shouldn’t be reckless. I swore to protect you. Please stop making it hard to keep my promises. The ward around this house protects us from being located by magic. But it doesn't completely hide us from unwanted visitors if they follow you home. As much as you hate it, staying inside is the best thing for all of us until Reuben returns.”  Agnes paused and looked down at her hands that now had a soft red glow. She could feel her magic begin to drain into the girl. She whispered, “Christine, calm down.”

 

Annabelle quickly grabbed Christine and pulled her away from the witch, “What did you do to her, Agnes?”  Christine examined her own hands in confusion. She suddenly felt powerful as the magic began coursing through her body.  Agnes breathed heavily at she closed her eyes. Christine stared at her hands and then at the older woman, “What was that? What is wrong with me?."  Agnes struggled to compose herself, “my dear child, I believe there is something we should discuss.”  Agnes asked the girls to take a seat at the table.  She stumbled over her words as she began to speak, “Your mother, Lily, was a good woman.”  Her voice was soft and became more confident, “She tried for several years after your brothers were born to have more children.  She desperately wanted a little girl.” Agnes stroked Christine’s hair softly and continued, “She sought out my family to help her.  Not knowing that we truly were witches. There were rumors that we might have been gypsies. We were living just outside of your hometown at that time. Reuben and I had been running from our coven for several years.  We didn’t want anymore attention brought to ourselves. When we refused her, she admitted that she hoped if she had more children, her husband might be more - reasonable with her and their sons.” 

 

Christine remembered her father vividly, “I know what kind of man my father was, Agnes. You don’t have to pretend that he wasn’t an awful person.”  Agnes nodded in agreement, “He was a very cruel man indeed. However, your mother loved her family more than anything. She thought that if she could fill his life with love and happiness she could change him. Her heart was truly in the right place.” Agnes continued her story, “My brother decided to take pity on your mother and help her.Honestly, I don't know what he was thinking. That stupid man.”  Christine stared at her in confusion, “So your brother did some weird fertility magic and poof here I am?”  Agnes looked away to avoid Christine’s eyes knowing she couldn’t beat around the bush any longer, “No, that is not what happened. Giuseppe Salvatore is not your real father, Christine. Reuben is. He fell in love with your mother after watching her for several weeks after she first came to us.  He thought he could make her fall in love with him too.” Annabelle and Christine's mouth dropped at the same time. Several moments passed before anyone moved or said a word. Christine leaned back in her seat and crossed her arms and legs. She was trying to process the information. “Okay, Reuben is my biological father. Why has he never told me this?  Why haven’t you? Did my mother love him too? Does that mean I am a witch too?”

  
  


Agnes shook her head,  “No, you do not have any magic of your own. Reuben is a siphoner and so are you. That’s how you were able to drain my magic. Our coven believes that siphoners are an abomination. The twin children of the coven leader merge when they turn 22. One twin dies and the other inherits their power.  We left before that could happen to us and we have been running since then for fear of what they would do to us for not merging. We don't know what will happen if they find us or find out about you.” Anger fumed within the girl. She stood quickly, knocking over the chair as she moved. Christine ran her hands through her hair and paced around,  “Why are you just now telling me this? I have been living with you and Reuben for 6 years.” She could barely catch her breath, “You let me believe that I was some frail child that need to be kept under lock and key with no real explanation. You should have told me this a long time ago.”

 

Agnes walked slowly towards her, “I was afraid to upset you, dear. You had been through so much. There was never a right time. We have been running from our coven for so long." She stopped herself from revealing too much. “We wanted to wait until you could handle it. I am so sorry, my darling.” Agnes reach out her hand to soothe the girl, but Christine pulled away.  “I - I can’t right now.” She glared at Annabelle, “Did you know this?" Annabelle shook her head, “No, I swear. I didn’t know. I knew there was something special about you and that is why they have tried so hard to protect you. I didn’t realize it was from a coven of witches.”

 

Christine glared at Agnes and turned away, “I think we are done here. I can’t stand to be here for another moment.”  Agnes grabbed Christine’s arm, “I understand. I can never begin to explain how sorry I am for not telling you sooner. You know the truth now.  But please stay at least until Reuben returns from New York. He is searching for your-.”

  
  


Christine closed her eyes and could feel the magic draining from Agnes before pulling away, “I wouldn’t do that again." She turned towards Annabelle, “Will you come with me?  I want to see my brother.” For a moment, Christine wished for a normal mundane life. One without witches, siphoners, and vampires. It was too late to go back to the innocent little girl without a care in the world.   Seeing her brother would make her feel a little normal again.  He wasn’t there. Christine knew exactly where she left him. There were small pools of blood on the ground from the messy encounter she had witnessed earlier that night.  _ Maybe he didn't kill that woman, _ she thought to herself.  “You should never have pulled me away.  What if I never see him again?”

 

Annabelle walked behind her, “Christine, you don’t know him anymore.  Being a vampire does something to you. I hate to admit it, but Agnes is right.  Let’s go back and wait for Reuben. Damon isn’t here and we need to get some rest.  It’s been a long night.” Christine sat down on the ground, “I don't trust them. There is something else they aren't telling us. Why do you care what I do anyways?  You were only here because Emily told you they would help get the vampires out of the tomb.” Annabelle sat next to her with a sigh, “I care because you are my friend.  I knew from the moment you boarded the carriage that we were kindred spirits.  Scared, lonely girls without anyone who cared about us. You have been like my little sister this entire time.  I didn’t care what their reasons were for wanting to protect you. I wanted to protect you because I didn’t want to lose you too.”  

 

Christine leaned her head on Annabelle’s shoulder, “I’m not that scared or frail little girl anymore.” Annabelle wrapped her arm around her friend, “I know.”  Several minutes went by as the girls sat in silence. Christine was the first to speak, “What if I wasn’t?” Annabelle looked at her confused, “What?” Christine stood up, “What if I wasn’t frail anymore?  Who cares about being some weird witch siphoner if I don’t have magic of my own.  What if I became a vampire?” Annabelle stood up as well and shook her head, “No, I don’t think that is a good idea. At least not right now. You shouldn’t make decisions like that when you are upset.”  

 

Christine ignored her, “My brother is a vampire. My other brother may be one too. My best friend is a vampire. Why shouldn’t I be able to enjoy eternity too? We will always have each other.  I want this, Annabelle. I have thought about it for a lot lately. I wasn’t sure until now. I want you to turn me.”  Annabelle couldn't believe what she was hearing, “I won't do that, Chrissy.  I can't. You don’t know what you are asking for.” Christine snapped at her, “If you don't do it, I will find someone else who will.”

  
  


Annabelle hesitated before biting into her wrist. “If that is what you really want then here”, she had dared her friend to drink.   She was hopeful that her friend would change her mind at the sight of blood.  Within seconds, Christine grabbed her wrist and drank. When she was done, she wiped her lips eagerly, “What now?” Annabelle closed her eyes and took a deep breathe reaching over and snapped her best friend’s neck, “You die...” She caught her lifeless body as she fell to the ground. Annabelle had always thought about how much fun it would be if her best friend were like her. Yet, she remained unhappy with Christine's decision to die so young before she really had the chance to live life as a human.  She waited for what seemed like hours for Christine to wake up. Christine stirred weakly, “I… died.”

 

“My throat.” Christine said clutching at her neck.  Annabelle realized that she forget the most important ingredient in making a vampire, human blood. “I will be back in a minute”, she ran to find humans.  Upon her return, Annabelle brought forth a man and what looked like his wife. She bit into the man’s neck and then pushed him closer to Christine, “Drink.”  Slowly, Christine put her lips on the man’s neck to taste the blood. It was warm and metallic. She decided that she liked the taste. Fangs appeared and dug deeper into his neck. Within seconds, Christine had nearly drained the man of all of his blood. Annabelle had to pull her away, “Remember, we don’t kill people." The veins around Christine's eyes made it obvious that she was still hungry, as baby vamps usually are.

 

Annabelle fed from the woman cautiously. She knew she had to set the example for Christine.  It has been several days since she had warm blood from the vein. She had been careful not to feed in town or else she would face the wrath of the witches.   After the man regained consciousness Annabelle’s eyes turned to his and then to his companion repeating the phrase, “Forget you ever saw us.  If anyone asks, you were attacked by an animal in the woods. Leave now.” Christine wiped the leftover blood from her chin with a finger and licked it, “Teach me how to do all of those things.  Running fast, compelling people...” She leapt in excitement and clapped her hands with a squeal, “We will have so much fun, Annabelle."

 

Annabelle cleared her throat, “I know that you are hungry still… but I think we need to go see Agnes.  She needs to make you a daylight ring so that you don’t burn to a crisp when morning comes. And if you haven’t noticed, that is anytime now. It would be a pity to gain an eternity only to have it ruined by a sunburn.”  Christine knew she was right. The sun would soon start peaking over the mountains. She was still so mad at Agnes and Reuben. What if she killed them? As mad as she was at them, she would hate herself for draining them not that they didn't deserve it for lying to her for so long. “I don't think that is a good idea. There is an abandoned shack nearby,  I can stay there.” Annabelle nodded, “Go quickly. Try your best not to eat anyone on your way there." With a quick wink, she left.

 

The shack was certainly abandoned.  No one had lived there for years. A squeaky little rat moved across her feet when she stood in the doorway.  She jumped back in disgust, _I wonder if other vampires were afraid of rodents._ Something stirred in the back of the cabin which made her jump again. She quietly walked towards the sound.  A figure shuffled in the shadows. She couldn't see who or what it was clearly even with her new and improved vamp vision.  “Who is there? Show yourself”, her voice cracked as she spoke. “Always such a scaredy cat, sunshine”, the figure spoke.  Christine knew immediately who the figure was, “Damon”, her words came out in almost a whisper.   Damon moved towards her, “and here I thought you would be happy to see me."

 

As he walked closer, his face became visible.She became overwhelmed with emotions. Her first instinct was to hug him. Yet, she remembered how alone she felt when she thought he had died.  Seeing him once more, clearly alive, she wanted to punch him for abandoning her.  He was in front of her now mere inches from her face.  She watched the happiness of their reunion drain from his face as he became uneasy.  “Oh sunshine, what did you do?”, he pulled her into his chest and wrapped his arms tightly around her.  Tears formed in her eyes, she tried to blink them away, “I thought you were dead Damon, I hate you so much for leaving me.”    Damon held her tight, “I was afraid to hurt you then. My hunger for human blood was too overwhelming.  I did what I had to do to protect you. Emily promised to keep you safe.” Christine looked up at him and sniffled, “Emily protected me because of you?”

“Ha, that’s the thing. I thought she did it for me. She refused to tell me where she sent you. That was not part of our deal. But she burned at the stake like a good little witch not long after you were sent away. I spent a long time looking for you, little one.”  Damon released his sister and looked her up and down.  He had just saw her hours ago as human. Now, standing in front of him, she was a vampire. He grabbed her firmly by the arms, “Why would you choose this life for yourself?  You should be growing old and having a family. This was never what I wanted for you.” Christine frowned at her brother, “I didn't want to be that weak girl anymore. I didn't want to be scared all the time.” Damon kissed her forehead,  “You were never weak, sunshine.”

 

Christine pulled away,  “I need to tell you something.  Katherine was a vampire too. She compelled you to forget all the horrible things she did.” 

 

“I know, sunshine.” Damon ruffled her hair, “Katherine told me and I knew all along.” Christine's nostrils flared, “Katherine told you?  That she-devil! And you, how could you have know all along and allow her to feed on you and our brother. She threatened to kill me, Damon. Don't tell me that she is the reason you became a vampire".  Christine was fiery mad. 

 

“Simmer down. We have got to do something about that temper of yours”,  Damon chuckled. “Katherine is gone and I loved her no matter how horrible you think she is.”   He continued, “Enough about that. I think we need to talk about Stefan.”

  
  


“Stefan", she said his name in a whisper, “is he still alive?”

 

“Oh, he is alive alright.”, Damon huffed and then stated as-a-matter-of-factly, “He is like a loose canon. He has no humanity or control of his blood lust. Plus, he thinks you are dead. Let's keep it that way for now until I can figure out how to fix him.” 

 

“I will find him if I want to. You can't tell me what to do. I'm not a child, Damon.”, Christine folded her arms. Damon rolled his eyes,  “You most certainly  _ are  _ a child. You will stay away from him. I will lock you up myself if that is what it takes.”   Christine glared at him with her arms still folded, “I dare you to try.” She knew she was strong, maybe not stronger than him.  Damon looked at his sister and chuckled, “My little sunshine is so feisty. I guess you get that from me.” Christine dropped her hands to her side in annoyance.  She hated being told what to do but she knew her brother was right. She would give it some time before she sought out her brother. In the meantime, Damon was here. She had missed him terribly and couldn’t wait to find out what it truly meant to be a vampire.  

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you think :D


	3. Chapter 3

Savannah was an unmatched beauty in the eyes of Christine. She spent several years learning the history and walking through every square. Out of all the places Christine had visited, Savannah was her favorite. Savannah’s charm drew Christine in the moment she arrived. Much like New Orleans, Voodoo practicing witches could be found deep within the city. She had made a few friends within the darkest corners of the city though not all witches were happy to have a vampire living close.

Christine moved just outside of the city. It was far enough away to appease the witches that detested vampires. Even though some witches hated her, they promised to not bother her, if she did not kill within the city. During Christine’s stay in Savannah, Annabelle would often visit for long periods of time. She brought along her boyfriend Joseph and stories from her latest travels. This time, she brought news of a ripper that was terrorizing Monterrey. “He’s moved on. But I think I saw him in Chicago.” Annabelle said as she tossed her suitcase in guest room. It was her preferred room when she came to visit. The large fireplaces was soon lit and the curtains closed to block the sun the next morning.

Christine adjusted the fresh sheets on the bed. She was very proud of her home and kept it completely spotless. She had compelled a very rich man to deed it to her before sending him away. She enjoyed life as a vampire much more than she had ever as a human. The house had six extra bedrooms in addition to her own bedroom. Damon even had his own room when he decided to visit. Which was not very often. Yet, she still kept everything the same in case he wanted to come back. Her home was a three-story antebellum style home with plenty of land around to keep her hidden from the main roads.

She remember that Damon was now living in Chicago. As Annabelle talked about how many people the ripper had killed, Christine decided she could use Damon as an excuse to visit the city. She would feign innocence if Damon found out she was actually looking for their brother. It had been years since she promised Damon to stay away from Stefan. Damon had always been overly protective of her, but she was stronger than he was. Now that she understood her magic. If Stefan tried to harm either of them, she could incapacitate him long enough for them to run.

Being a witch siphoner did nothing for her as a human. But siphoning as a vampire, had all the perks of both siphoner and regular witch. No one had never heard of such a thing - a vampire witch. She had terrified Agnes and Reuben when they learned of what she had become. But they tried to help her even though they feared her. She was given grimoires that had been passed down through their family to help her learn how to control her magic before they had died.

Other than Annabelle and Damon, no one else knew about Christine's magical abilities. She has tried to control her magic and hunger over the years. If she let it get the best of her, fires started and the urge to rip someone's head off overwhelmed her. It had only happened a few times. Each time it did though, anyone in her path of destruction had died. She hated that part of her, her temper that is. She loved everything else about being a vampire.

  
**Chicago 1922**

Night had fallen on the bustling streets of Chicago as Christine wandered around. Listening to the laughter and music from a nearby speakeasy, Gloria’s, Christine smiled and bobbed her head. She loved the 20s - the music, the clothes, the parties. It was all invigorating.

There was a crowd of people standing in front of the bar, Christine pushed past several people and waved down a bartender. While she waited for her drink, she turned to watch the band on stage. She had almost gotten lost in the music when she heard someone clear their throat next to her. _Dinner?_ She smiled to herself and turned towards the man.

A handsome man with beautiful light blue eyes gestured to the seat beside her, “Is this seat taken?” His voice was was almost as intoxicating as his smile. She couldn't recognize his accent. It was almost melodic. “I guess it is now", she tried to hide her blushing cheeks by taking a long sip of champagne. Before she finished speaking, he was already seated next to her. He ordered a drink and then turned his attention back to her, “It's rare to find a beauty such as yours these days." Christine blushed and smiled shyly, “You must not get out much." He shrugged and smiled, “I've had my fair share of travels. You must have too. Surely you are not from here. A southern belle, perhaps?” His eyes sparkled under the lights. She didn't have a southern accent, she wondered how else he would have known. She smiled into her glass, “perhaps.”

The handsome stranger chuckled and reached out his hand, “Niklaus.” She hesitated a moment before extending her hand to him, “Christine.” She could tell the moment that he was a vampire the moment she touched him. She could sense how powerful and old he was. “Where can a girl get a real drink around here?”, she asked him sweetly. He smirked, “You can drink anything you want, love.” He spun around slowly and pointed towards a table, “Shall we?” He held his hand out for her, “Let's see about getting you that drink.” She grabbed his hand and followed him to the table, “Yes please.” Christine was mesmerized by the way he carried himself.

As they walked, she looked around for Stefan. There were so many people in the overcrowded room but she knew she would recognize her brother if she saw him. Niklaus brought a young woman over to the table and sat her between them. “As promised", he grinned and looked into the woman's eyes. “You will not scream. Now lean over and let my new friend bite into your pretty neck.” Christine shook her head and took the woman's hand. She bit into her wrist only to pour the dripping blood into a cup. She smirked and took a sip, “I'm not a savage."

Niklaus chuckled as he grew increasingly intrigued by the young girl, “No, you most certainly are not." He tore into the young woman's neck without hesitation. Christine was a bit embarrassed that she starting to become attracted to this handsome stranger so quickly. She was fascinated by his obvious free spirit. She had always tried to hold herself back just as Annabelle had taught her. Feeding in public was never an option. She had longed to live freely without her friend’s judgment.

Several glasses of champagne later, Christine had allowed herself to give in to her thirst. She fed from the neck of another bar patron that Niklaus had compelled. Whether it was the blood-lust or the attractively daring man luring it out of her, she was enjoying herself. Niklaus stood and held out his hand, “I don't suppose you want to get out of here?” Christine smiled with delight, “I thought you would never ask."

  
He took her back to what she had assumed was his place and had compelled several more bar patrons to follow them for an after party. Music started the play and Niklaus came up behind her, “Shall we dance?” They danced and laughed as the night flew by. When the music stopped and their company were gone, Christine pouted, “I guess that means the party is over.  Niklaus had taken a seat on a large chair in the corner, “Only if you want it to, luv.” His devilish grin seemed to have beckoned her over. Her heart raced, “I don't think I do.” What little control she had left was now gone. She found herself mere inches from his face within seconds. She knew what would happen next…

  
The sun shining through the glass stung her eyes when she woke. She turned away from the window to face Niklaus. He was still sleeping. She smiled as she appreciated his stunning body and traced her finger down his bare chest. She was so happy in this moment. She felt like she was truly able to be herself last night. She gave in to all of her urges. “You say you are not a savage, but I beg to differ, luv”, Niklaus said without opening his eyes. Christine scrunched her nose as her cheeks blushed, “And here I thought you were a gentleman."  In one swift movement, he was on top of her She was now flat on her back with him pinning her arms above her head. He kissed her neck, “I can be a gentleman when I chose to be." More kisses were planted down her neck, “But you seemed to have preferred me otherwise." Her legs wrapped around him, “I prefer a little of everything." His eyes moved up to meet hers, “and I have plenty of everything to offer." They seemed to have melted together.

  
Their fun would come to an end several days later when she finally remembered why she was in Chicago.

_Stefan._

The brother that she desperately wanted to see after all this time. She wondered if Niklaus had known her brother. “I think I want to go out tonight.”, she said as she put on one of his shirts. Her hair was still wet from just leaving the bathtub. She fastened the shirt together as she said, “I don't suppose your button down shirt would be appropriate attire for a night out on the town.” He leaned up against the bed frame and folded his arms behind his head, “You can wear anything you want, luv. If anyone has anything to say about it… well, we can eat them." Christine giggled and threw her damp towel at him, “Niklaus!” He caught the towel, as she knew would, and tossed it back, “I will have someone come dress you.” He got up and kissed her cheek, “There are a few people that I think you would enjoy meeting."

“Friends?” she questioned as she loosely wrapped her arms around his neck. His hands grabbed her waist and their bodies swayed, “You will see soon enough, my little southern belle." Christine had never felt more alive during the little time she had spent with Niklaus. His fiery personality was something she admired. The little talking they did do had nothing to do with family. She was thankful for that since she wasn't ready to share her entire life story with a man she was slightly unsure of.

Niklaus told her that he was leaving to take care of some business. Moments later, a knock on the front door had startled her. She didn't have time to answer it before a gorgeous blonde woman waltzed in. “Ah, my brother's new play thing”, the woman said as she tossed a dress and a small velvet bag on a chair. Her accent was just as interesting as her new companion’s. She appeared to be examining Christine, “You are almost as pretty as Nik described. But my brother does tend to exaggerate."

Christine felt a bit insulted, “Funny, _Nik_ didn't mention you at all.” The beautiful woman's face hinted a twinge of annoyance, “You certainly are a sassy thing, aren't you? My name is Rebekah and I already know your name. I am here at my brother's request to make you look presentable. We don’t have much time. I assume you know how to put on a dress.” They spent the next hour or so annoying each other while they dressed for the evening.

Rebekah and Christine found their way to Gloria’s where Niklaus had been waiting for their arrival. Gloria was on stage singing her heart out to a jazz song that Christine had never heard. “Ah, little sister, finally”, Niklaus said with a large smile he kissed her cheek. He turned his attention towards Christine and kissed her hand and spun her around to admire, “You look ravishing. I do hope my sister was pleasant company?” Christine tried to hide her distaste for the woman, “Something like that."

Niklaus ushered the ladies to their seats. A man was sitting at the table with a dark haired woman. His face was buried in her neck. Rebekah cleared her throat, “I would be jealous if I didn't know any better." Stefan looked up and smiled as he wiped the blood from his chin, “Good thing you know better", he kissed her as she sat down. A waiter walked by and Rebekah grabbed his arm, “Quietly get rid of my friend's food please." The waiter nodded and helped the dark haired woman from a chair and took her away.

At the sight of her brother, Christine suddenly felt a rush of emotions. She knew that she should be careful to hide how excited she was to finally see him. Stefan turned his head at Niklaus and his companion, “Niklaus, here I thought I was your only friend. Is this who has been keeping you away from us?” Niklaus chuckled, “Stefan, I believe it was I who kept her away. We were too occupied to join your bloody escapades. I decided it was time to let her out of the bedroom to play. I would like you to meet the lovely, Christine.”

Christine shook hands with her brother like it had been the first they had ever met. He didn't seen to recognize her. “It is a pleasure to meet you, Stefan. As your devil of a friend so eloquently put it, I wanted to enjoy the city from outside a penthouse. I feared I wouldn’t get the chance to really admire the cities charm. I shall be leaving soon to return to my home in Georgia.”

Niklaus gave her a sideways glance. His brows furrowed, “You failed to mention your impending departure. I must admit that I am saddened by this news.” Stefan and Rebekah were now engaged in their own conversation about being hungry. Christine tried to pay them little attention as she was afraid to become too obvious. She shifted her focus solely on Niklaus, “I didn't expect to stay this long, if I am being honest.” Niklaus leaned closer to her and whispered in her ear, “I don't suppose I could entice you to stay with me a bit longer?”

Christine blushed knowing he could undoubtedly tempt her to stay if she gave in to his wicked charm, “Perhaps you could visit. Although, Savannah isn't as lively as Chicago. I'm afraid you may find it dull." Niklaus thumbed her chin and lifted her face to meet his, “I believe we could manage to find some entertainment."

A waiter interrupted their conversation with a tray full of drinks. Niklaus stood with his glass raised, “To friendship.” The rest of the table repeated his words in tandem and sipped their drinks. After they finished their drinks, they made their way to the dance floor. Gloria was still singing her heart out. They moved to the beat of the music. He was a terrific dancer. Stefan and Rebekah danced close by them.

Stefan spoke directly to her once more when they returned to their table, “Christine, you say your home is in Savannah? What brought you Chicago?” His words seemed almost prying as if he truly did remember her. Christine reminded herself to answer carefully, “My friend Anna travels so much and boasted about how wonderful Chicago was. She was right, of course. It is an amazing city with some of the most amazing people. It will be a bittersweet journey home .”

Her story was mostly true, but Rebekah and Niklaus seemed convinced. Niklaus wrapped his arm around her shoulders and winked, “Then we shall make the best of your remaining time." He pulled her in to kiss her cheek which made Christine giggle. Stefan raised his eyebrow then turned to Rebekah, “I believe it will be just the two of us until Christine returns home, Rebekah. They seem to have made plans that certainly don't involve us.” Rebekah rolled her eyes, “That is not something I would particularly care to hear anymore about."

Niklaus took hold of Christine's hand and tugged her lightly out of her seat, “Shall we dance some more?” He lead her to the dance floor once again. Her eyes met Stefan’s for a brief moment as he and Rebekah joined them. “I believe I need another drink”, her dance partner said releasing his hold on her waist when the song was over. Rebekah overheard and spoke up, “I’ll join you.”

Stefan took Niklaus’s place in the next song came on. She gazed up into his eyes, the man she now danced with was truly nothing like her brother. “You need to leave”, he said leaning towards her ear. Mercy, how she hated being told what to do, “And what if I don’t want to?” He looked down at her, “I am not asking. Whatever this is you have with Nik, end it."

“I am enjoying myself. Something you seem to know a lot about. Stay out of my business and I will stay out of yours.”, she replied coldly. Stefan glanced over to see Rebekah and Niklaus sitting the table, they weren’t paying any attention to them. “Don’t play games with him. You will end up dead.” Christine cut him off, “I will do as I please, Stefan. Why do you even care?”

“I don’t care, little sister”, his words stung. Her eyes softened as did her voice for a moment, “I thought you were dead." They continued to dance, he looked away toward their friends and then back at his sister, “I’m not - clearly.” She stepped back annoyed once more, “Clearly.”

She decided to leave instead of returning to their friends or say goodbye. She needed to take out her frustration. She had already did what she came here to do and told herself it was better if she left. Her infatuation with Niklaus had already taken up more time than she had planned.

  
It was almost morning when she knocked at the door. She was greeted by a sleepy half naked woman, “Can I help you?” Her brother was in the other room, “Let her in.” The obviously compelled woman said, “Would you like to come in?” Christine rolled her eyes pushed her way past her, “Please tell me this is a consensual agreement, Damon.” He groaned as he stretched, “Yes, she consented plenty of times." Christine gave him a nasty glare, “You are disgusting.”

  
“You are in a wonderful mood, sunshine. Let me guess, you reunited with our evil brother? Was it everything you thought it would be?” Damon's wicked sarcasm made her want to slap him. “Yes, I met him. No, he was terrible. He wasn't himself, Damon. We need to fix him. I want my brother back”, she said as she paced back and forth avoiding eye contact with her half naked brother.

Damon rolled his eyes, “We can't fix him if he doesn't want to be fixed, sunshine.” She threw her hands in the air exasperated, “Fine, if you won't help I will find another way. You are so useless”. She stormed out but Damon didn't bother chasing after her. Instead, he crawled back in bed with his human companion and fell asleep.

  
Christine found herself in front of Niklaus’s home. She debated if she should knock. Her pacing continued until a man stepped out of the building. “I told you to leave", Stefan said leaning against the wall and crossing his arms. “You did. Yet here I am. It's funny that you think I would actually listen to you.” He raised an eyebrow, “If you are here to turn my emotions on, you are wasting your time.”

“I told you why I was here, Stefan. You can go back to your bunny diet or continue to tear people apart. It doesn't concern me nor do I care”, she paused for a moment, “I am curious though. Why do you think I will end up dead if I don't end my relationship with Niklaus?”

“It's inevitable. He is a dangerous man and you are a silly little girl that doesn't know what she is getting herself into.” His words annoyed her more. She glared at him, “I think we are done here. Goodbye, Stefan.” She opened the door and went inside. Niklaus was drinking alone looking out the balcony window. “I thought you left", his words were cold. She could smell alcohol from across the room. “I didn't. I just needed a break”, she said softly as she walked closer to him. His back was still turned to her as she wrapped her arms around him, “I'm sorry that I didn't tell you I was heading out. Are you mad?”

  
His words remained the same, “When are you going back to Georgia?" She felt a pang in her chest, “I - I was planning in leaving on Sunday.” He continued drinking but didn't respond. She took the hint and walked towards the door. As she was leaving she said, “Thank you for the past few days. Every moment with you has been wonderful.”


End file.
